-------------------------------------------
"AN OPEN DOORS POLICY ON FAITH" - Tony Perkins , Washington Watch, January 16, 2019; https://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=WA19A34&f=WU19A11
While Americans stop to celebrate Religious Freedom Day, there are 245 million Christians around the world who would give anything to experience even the smallest taste of it. That was one of the more startling findings of Open Doors 2019 World Watch List. The other? Christian persecution is getting worse. Almost half (73) of the 150 countries they studied showed "extreme," "very high," or "high levels" of persecution. Last year, it was 58.
The persecution has a particularly harsh impact on women in many places. In some areas, like North Korea, that trend isn't as pronounced, since all believers are persecuted there. But it shows up in plenty of other places (many governed by radical Islam) in ways like forced marriages. At the report's unveiling at Heritage Foundation, Open Doors' David Curry talked about a girl named Esther who was abducted by Boko Haram and ordered to renounce her faith. When she refused, they raped her multiple times and sent her back to her village, pregnant, and a subject of shame in that culture.
India is increasingly problematic, and is #10 on the list because the prime minister's party is responsible for whipping up anti-Christian and pro-Hindu rhetoric. In his remarks, Curry specifically appealed to major Indian-American businesspeople like Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Indra Nooyi (a woman who is a former CEO of Pepsi and perhaps next head of World Bank), and Google CEO Sundar Pichai -- and encouraged them to speak out against the Christian persecution in India.
For now, North Korea, Afghanistan, Somalia, and Pakistan remain in spots #1, #2, #3, and #5. Libya jumped from #7 last year to #4 on this year's list (due to an increasingly brutal culture of radical Islam with regard to Christians). Elsewhere, Sudan dropped from #4 to #6, while Syria rose four spots to #11. India, Iran, and Yemen each bumped up one spot, and Nigeria bumped up 2 spots.
As we've said before, America's silence under the last administration led to a rise in the global threat that Donald Trump is now working furiously to control. Conservative leaders like retired Rep. Frank Wolf spent the better part of Obama's two terms begging him to get off the sidelines and defend the persecuted church. But if the president wouldn't recognize the First Freedom of Americans here at home, how could he fight for the world's?
Fortunately, the current White House has no interest in tip-toeing around the issue of persecution. President Trump has been a staunch advocate for the persecuted, and we look forward to all that he, Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Ambassador Sam Brownback will do to highlight the issue at the second annual Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, just announced today.
In the meantime, FRC's Travis Weber says, the Open Doors Watch List should serve as "a reminder to all of us in the United States to never take our freedom for granted. Indeed, we must use our freedom to advocate for freedom of religion for all around the world, even as we guard against its infringement here at home."
[italics and colored emphasis mine]
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"Open Doors USA Reveals World's Worst Persecutors of Christians" - Steve Warren, CBNNEWS.COM, 1-16-2019; http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/2019/january/open-doors-usa-to-reveal-worlds-worst-persecutors-of-christians-wednesday
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PRAYER MATTERS:
"To clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world." - Karl Barth; "Prayer is inviting God into a seemingly impossible situation and trusting/resting in His love and grace to accomplish His perfect will in His perfect time and for His greatest glory. Intercession is the one of the great privileges AND responsibilities for EVERY believer." - Stan
-----------------------------------------------------------
Praying Through the Open Doors World Watch List for persecuted believers:https://www.opendoorsusa.org/take-action/pray/monthly-prayer-calendar/
As we look ahead to 2019, Open Doors is excited to partner with you to come alongside persecuted believers in a number of countries. We ask you to pray with us about this year’s vision focused on strengthening the Church in the Middle East, Nigeria, India, Colombia and Egypt, among others.
January 30 | LIBYA - Today, pray with African believers who live in Libya. They are under immense cultural pressure because of their skin color as well as their Christian faith.
*Names changed to protect identities
STANDING STRONG THROUGH THE STORM - OpenDoorsUSA.org
At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.- 2 Tim. 4;16
SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THOSE WHO SUFFER
The Apostle Paul knew exactly what it was like to be alone, to be deserted by all who called themselves “brothers” and “sisters.” A former colleague who has done considerable travel among the persecuted says, “It is hard to believe that Christians are the largest persecuted group in the world today. But it is even more difficult to believe that this is so seldom mentioned in our gatherings and church services. More Christians know the names of their favorite actors than their fellow believers who are in prison.”
He continues, “With every trip something in my heart breaks as I hear the echoes of suffering:
I remember the echoes of an Egyptian mother as she shared how her young boy was stuck in a haystack because she refused to deny Jesus.
I remember the sounds of weeping as fellow students in Indonesia shared how Sariman, their co-student, was hacked to death.
I remember the cries of anguish as we walked from church to church that was burned to the ground on the island of Lombok.
I remember the tears of Rebecca in Iran as she showed the picture of her father who was stabbed to death for sharing the gospel.
I remember the voice of Pastor Daniel in Vietnam as he shared how he was chained to the ground for six months.
I remember the fear of Grace from Sudan as she shared how her church was attacked and her friend was shot through the head.
Oh, I remember the cries of Caleb in Eritrea as he shared with tears how two dear friends were executed in front of him because of their faith.
And I remember the tears of Joy in the southern Philippines as she shared how her fiancé was shot to death in their church in Mindanao.
But, most all, I remember the deafening sounds of silence every time I return home.
RESPONSE
How can I be silent today? How can I not speak on behalf of those who suffer? How can I desert those that belong to the same body that I belong to and who desperately need the encouragement of my intervention?
-------------------------------------------
"AN OPEN DOORS POLICY ON FAITH" - Tony Perkins , Washington Watch, January 16, 2019; https://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=WA19A34&f=WU19A11
While Americans stop to celebrate Religious Freedom Day, there are 245 million Christians around the world who would give anything to experience even the smallest taste of it. That was one of the more startling findings of Open Doors 2019 World Watch List. The other? Christian persecution is getting worse. Almost half (73) of the 150 countries they studied showed "extreme," "very high," or "high levels" of persecution. Last year, it was 58.
The persecution has a particularly harsh impact on women in many places. In some areas, like North Korea, that trend isn't as pronounced, since all believers are persecuted there. But it shows up in plenty of other places (many governed by radical Islam) in ways like forced marriages. At the report's unveiling at Heritage Foundation, Open Doors' David Curry talked about a girl named Esther who was abducted by Boko Haram and ordered to renounce her faith. When she refused, they raped her multiple times and sent her back to her village, pregnant, and a subject of shame in that culture.
India is increasingly problematic, and is #10 on the list because the prime minister's party is responsible for whipping up anti-Christian and pro-Hindu rhetoric. In his remarks, Curry specifically appealed to major Indian-American businesspeople like Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Indra Nooyi (a woman who is a former CEO of Pepsi and perhaps next head of World Bank), and Google CEO Sundar Pichai -- and encouraged them to speak out against the Christian persecution in India.
For now, North Korea, Afghanistan, Somalia, and Pakistan remain in spots #1, #2, #3, and #5. Libya jumped from #7 last year to #4 on this year's list (due to an increasingly brutal culture of radical Islam with regard to Christians). Elsewhere, Sudan dropped from #4 to #6, while Syria rose four spots to #11. India, Iran, and Yemen each bumped up one spot, and Nigeria bumped up 2 spots.
As we've said before, America's silence under the last administration led to a rise in the global threat that Donald Trump is now working furiously to control. Conservative leaders like retired Rep. Frank Wolf spent the better part of Obama's two terms begging him to get off the sidelines and defend the persecuted church. But if the president wouldn't recognize the First Freedom of Americans here at home, how could he fight for the world's?
Fortunately, the current White House has no interest in tip-toeing around the issue of persecution. President Trump has been a staunch advocate for the persecuted, and we look forward to all that he, Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Ambassador Sam Brownback will do to highlight the issue at the second annual Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, just announced today.
In the meantime, FRC's Travis Weber says, the Open Doors Watch List should serve as "a reminder to all of us in the United States to never take our freedom for granted. Indeed, we must use our freedom to advocate for freedom of religion for all around the world, even as we guard against its infringement here at home."
[italics and colored emphasis mine]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Open Doors USA Reveals World's Worst Persecutors of Christians" - Steve Warren, CBNNEWS.COM, 1-16-2019; http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/2019/january/open-doors-usa-to-reveal-worlds-worst-persecutors-of-christians-wednesday
|
PRAYER MATTERS:
"To clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world." - Karl Barth; "Prayer is inviting God into a seemingly impossible situation and trusting/resting in His love and grace to accomplish His perfect will in His perfect time and for His greatest glory. Intercession is the one of the great privileges AND responsibilities for EVERY believer." - Stan
-----------------------------------------------------------
Praying Through the Open Doors World Watch List for persecuted believers:https://www.opendoorsusa.org/take-action/pray/monthly-prayer-calendar/
As we look ahead to 2019, Open Doors is excited to partner with you to come alongside persecuted believers in a number of countries. We ask you to pray with us about this year’s vision focused on strengthening the Church in the Middle East, Nigeria, India, Colombia and Egypt, among others.
January 30 | LIBYA - Today, pray with African believers who live in Libya. They are under immense cultural pressure because of their skin color as well as their Christian faith.
*Names changed to protect identities STANDING STRONG THROUGH THE STORM - OpenDoorsUSA.org
At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them.- 2 Tim. 4;16
SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THOSE WHO SUFFER
The Apostle Paul knew exactly what it was like to be alone, to be deserted by all who called themselves “brothers” and “sisters.” A former colleague who has done considerable travel among the persecuted says, “It is hard to believe that Christians are the largest persecuted group in the world today. But it is even more difficult to believe that this is so seldom mentioned in our gatherings and church services. More Christians know the names of their favorite actors than their fellow believers who are in prison.”
He continues, “With every trip something in my heart breaks as I hear the echoes of suffering:
I remember the echoes of an Egyptian mother as she shared how her young boy was stuck in a haystack because she refused to deny Jesus.
I remember the sounds of weeping as fellow students in Indonesia shared how Sariman, their co-student, was hacked to death.
I remember the cries of anguish as we walked from church to church that was burned to the ground on the island of Lombok.
I remember the tears of Rebecca in Iran as she showed the picture of her father who was stabbed to death for sharing the gospel.
I remember the voice of Pastor Daniel in Vietnam as he shared how he was chained to the ground for six months.
I remember the fear of Grace from Sudan as she shared how her church was attacked and her friend was shot through the head.
Oh, I remember the cries of Caleb in Eritrea as he shared with tears how two dear friends were executed in front of him because of their faith.
And I remember the tears of Joy in the southern Philippines as she shared how her fiancé was shot to death in their church in Mindanao.
But, most all, I remember the deafening sounds of silence every time I return home.
RESPONSE
How can I be silent today? How can I not speak on behalf of those who suffer? How can I desert those that belong to the same body that I belong to and who desperately need the encouragement of my intervention?
|
Two statistics in this article are disturbing: 245 million Christians being persecuted, 73 out of 150 countries (up from 58) with at least "high" levels of persecution. We must never take our freedoms for granted and we must pray for our siblings in Christ for daily deliverance.
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